The Tynecastle side Move Eight Points Clear at Top Following Shankland's Spot-Kick Defeats The Hoops
A historic moment didn't occur at Tynecastle Park, since it's far too early for such achievements. The encounter underlined is that the Edinburgh club have a genuine serious opportunity of disrupting Scottish football's long-standing title duopoly. That advantage stands at eight points for Hearts over the visitors, whom they decisively beat. Catch them if you can.
Turning Point in the Latter Period
A crucial three-minute spell were key, after an opening period that was evenly matched. What was so notable after they took a 3-1 lead was how stress-free the rest of the game was for the hosts. Kyziridis doubled the lead, drifting inside before blasting a strike past the motionless Kasper Schmeichel. Soon there was further euphoria in the stands, the Celtic defender fouling Braga for a foul that the captain tucked away. The Celtic manager cut such a disconsolate figure; challenges abound for him.
Fans start to rejoice after Alexandros Kyziridis (second right) scores to make it 2-1 against Celtic.
The Visitors' Fightback
Celtic had actually recovered well from the hosts' quick opening. Dane Murray, who endured a torrid afternoon, conceded an own goal due to haste when trying to clear a delivery from Shankland. The Hoops worked their way into the game, leader McGregor, finishing a Tierney cutback for the equaliser.
Hearts' Defensive Resilience
The Hearts goalkeeper Schwolow, who had saved superbly from Nygren in the first half, kept out an Arne Engels shot which touched Tómas Magnússon. Craig Halkett stopped a Yamada attempt in the dying moments. They comfortably saw out the game as the clock ticked down. “We remain resolute” has become the favoured chant at Tynecastle. It's hard to ignore the noise.
- Full report coming soon.
